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Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 99 reviews

These classic Snickerdoodle Cookies are soft, chewy, and coated in a sweet cinnamon-sugar blend. Made with butter, cream of tartar, and a perfect balance of sugars, these cookies bake up with delightfully crisp edges and a tender center. They’re ideal for holiday baking or any time you crave a comforting, cinnamon-flavored treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks, softened)
  • 1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone mats for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
  2. Make the Dough Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter for a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
  3. Add Sugars: Add the granulated sugar and packed brown sugar to the butter. Beat for 2 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and free of lumps, scraping down the bowl periodically.
  4. Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time alongside vanilla extract, ensuring the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous with no streaks.
  5. Measure and Prepare Dry Ingredients: Spoon and level the flour into a measuring cup carefully to avoid packing. Mix in the baking soda, kosher salt, and cream of tartar into the flour mixture with a small spoon.
  6. Combine Dry with Wet Ingredients: Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stop when flour streaks remain, then use a spatula to scrape the bowl edges and fold to complete combining. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
  7. Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, shape dough into balls approximately 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.
  8. Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Coating: In a separate small or medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
  9. Coat Dough Balls: Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat evenly. Reserve some cinnamon sugar for finishing steps.
  10. Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place coated dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
  11. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes. Look for edges to be just set and centers slightly shiny; do not over bake to maintain a soft and chewy texture.
  12. Shape Cookies Immediately: When removing from the oven, quickly use a spoon to gently push the edges of each cookie inward to round their shape and thicken the center, doing this within 30 to 60 seconds before edges harden.
  13. Cool on Pan: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool further for a few minutes.
  14. Final Cinnamon Sugar Coat: While still warm but firm enough to handle, dip each cookie back into the cinnamon sugar, coating both sides to enhance the cinnamon flavor and texture.
  15. Storage and Freezing: Dough balls can be frozen in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen with an additional 2 minutes added to baking time; no thawing required.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies; slight flour streaks initially are okay before final brief mixing.
  • Underbaking slightly helps keep the cookies soft and chewy rather than dry and chalky.
  • Rolling the dough balls twice in cinnamon sugar—before and after baking—intensifies the cinnamon flavor and texture.
  • Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
  • Shaping the cookies immediately after baking helps create a round, thick center with chewy edges.
  • Heavily pack flour inaccurately affects dough texture; always spoon and level flour when measuring.
  • Freezing dough balls makes for convenient baking later; just add time when baking frozen dough.

Keywords: snickerdoodle, snickerdoodle cookies, cinnamon sugar cookies, soft cookies, chewy cookies, classic cookie, holiday cookies

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